Wheel adjustment for suction cleaners



Jan. 17, 1956 G. A. BRACE 3 9 WHEEL ADJUSTMENT FOR SUCTION CLEANERS Filed May 3, 1951 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. GEORGE A. BRACE Q BY n $7M 1 ATT'Y ,WUJM

1956 G. A. BRACE WHE L ADJUSTMENT FOR SUCTION CLEANERS 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 5, 1951 INVENTOR: GEORGE A. BRACE ATT'Y 1956 G. A. BRACE 2,730,,751

WH L ADJUSTMENT FOR SUCTION CLEANERS Filed May 3, 1951 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR. GEORGE A. BRAGE j SW ATT'Y United States Patent WHEEL ADJUSTMENT FOR SUCTIGN CLEANERS George A. Brace, Highland Park, Ill., assignor to The Hoover Company, North Canton, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application May 3, 1951, Serial No. 224,347

14 Claims. (Cl. 15-333) The invention relates to suction cleaners and more particularly to an improved and simplified construction for adjusting the operating height of the suction nozzle for on-the-fioor cleaning as well as for elevating the nozzle during otf-the-floor cleaning.

Devices of the general type and purpose of the present invention have been proposed heretofore but all are subject to disadvantages and shortcomings which are entirely overcome by the present invention. For example, prior nozzle adjusting and elevating mechanisms comprise a multiplicity of parts all of which must be separately manufactured to close tolerances and then assembled. Many employ calibrated springs which bear a definite predetermined relation to the weight of certain portions of the cleaner or with respect to the strength of other springs with which they are operatively associated. Other nozzle height control mechanisms require the operator to perform certain operations in sequence in order to convert the cleaner from on-the-floor to oif-the-floor operation. Still another objection to prior constructions is their high manufacturing cost.

All of the foregoing and many other disadvantages of prior constructions are overcome by the present invention in which a simple, low-cost stamping is so mounted with respect to a movable pair of wheels as to adjust the nozzle height to different carpets for on the floor cleaning and automatically to elevate the nozzle above the carpet as an incident to conversion for off-the-floor cleaning. Removal of the converter tool restores the nozzle to the adjusted position thereof immediately prior to conversion. Another feature of the invention is the use of a design in which the entire nozzle adjusting mechanism can be assembled or disassembled most expeditiously without the use of tools and with attendant cost savings.

Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide a novel suction cleaner having improved means for adr justing the height of the suction nozzle.

Another object is the provision of new and improved means for adjusting a suction nozzle to different carpets and for raising the nozzle above the carpet during off-thefloor cleaning.

A further object is the provision of a unitary member for manually adjusting the suction nozzle to different carpets and which is automatically operable to raise or lower the nozzle as an incident to the insertion or withdrawal of a converter tool.

Yet another object is the provision of a nozzle adjusting mechanism which can be assembled or disassembled without the use of tools.

A further object is the provision of a one piece, manually operated range shifter and converter operated nozzle raiser.

Stillother objectives of the invention will become apparent from the drawings and specification of an illustrative embodiment in which:

Figure 1 is a side sectional view of a suction cleaner incorporating the invention;

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Figure 2 is a bottom plan view of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a view along line 3--3 on Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 1 but showing the position of parts when converted to off-the-floor cleaning; and

Figure 5 is a fragmentary bottom plan view of Figure 4.

For illustrative purposes the invention has been shown as incorporated in a floor type suction cleaner having a vertical axis motor-fan unit. The cleaner comprises a main body having the usual suction nozzle 11 extending across its forward end. A rotary agitator 12 is mounted lengthwise of the nozzle mouth and is provided with rigid beater elements 13 and litter pickup bristles 14 for dislodging dirt and wishing it upwardly into the suction air stream. The rear end of the cleaner is supported by a pair of wheels 15 while the forward end of the cleaner is supported by a pair of larger diameter wider tread wheels 16. These wheels are carried on the outer end of a U-shaped supporting axle 17. The bight portion 18 of axle 17 extends through cutout openings 19, 19 in the opposite vertical walls of suction air flow passageway 20 and are securely held in place by hearing cap members 21 and screws 22. Openings l9, 19 are preferably closed by moulded plastic members 23 the vertical side edges of which are slotted to receive the adjacent walls of notches 19.

The suction fan chamber 24 is cast integrally with the cleaner body It) and opens upwardly. An electric driving motor of any suitable construction has a vertical shaft which extends downwardly through the fan chamber and carries a belt pulley 25 at its lower end. Immediately above pulley 25 and within the fan chamber is a radial blade fan 26. Although, not shown, it will be understood that the motor is provided with a bottom plate which closes the top of the fan chamber and serves to support the driving motor on the cleaner body. The driving motor is enclosed by a plastic hood 27. The fan eye or inlet 28 extends through the bottom of the fan chamber and communicates directly with suction air passageway 20.

The suction air passageway 20 will be better understood by reference to Figures 2.and 5. From these figures it will be seen to comprise a pair of parallel walls 29, 29 which are cast integral with the main body casting and extend from the rear walls 30 of the suction nozzle to substantially the rear end of the cleaner. The bottom side of this passage is closed by a removable cover plate 31 which is held in place by a pair of screws 32, 32. Preferably, plate 31 also surrounds the suction nozzle inlet and additionally serves as a finishing plate for the nozzle and as the front and rear lips of the nozzle as well. The rear end of passage 20 is closed by a bottom cover plate 33 which is removably held in place by screws 34. As appears more clearly from Figure l, the portion of passageway 20 overlying plate 33 is inclined downwardly and rearwardly and forms a converter tool receiving passageway as will be described more fully below.

It will be noted that cover plates 31 and 33 terminate to either side of the fan eye 28 for the purpose of receiving a readily removable pulley cover plate 35 which is held in place by a pair of thumb screws 36. The rear end of cover 35 carries a pivoted valve plate 37 which is spring biased counterclockwise by a torsion spring 38 surrounding pivot pin 39. Suitable packing material 40 may underlie the valve pivot to prevent linkage air entering the suction passageway at this point. The ends of valve 37 seal against the sides of passageway 20 while its upper edge normally seats against the bottom of the fan chamber just rearwardly of the fan inlet.

The fan chamber is provided with an exhaust air passageway 41 which opens on an inclined plane at the rear of the cleaner body into an air pervious filter bag 42 of any suitable. construction. A mounting ring 43 on the lower end of the filter permits the same to be easily secured to and removed from the exhaust end of passageway 41. The upper endof the filter bag may be. supported by the upper end of the propelling handle 44 which is pivotally connected to the rear of the cleaner body at a point underlying motor hood 27.

The combined range shifting and nozzle raising mechanism will now be described. Referring toFig-ure 2, i't'will be seen that this device comprises essentially a single unitary lever member 44 mounted on the underside of fan chamber 24 to one side of the suction air passageway. The forward end 45 of the lever is turned downwardly at right angles and is provided with a pair of notches 46 and 47 at different elevations interconnected by a cammed surface 48. The opposite side portions 4t, 49 extend downwardly and provide stops for apurpose which will become evident below.

The mid-portion of control lever 44 is provided with an elongated slot 50 opening through the side of the lever and is secured to the bottom wall of the fan chamher by a shouldered rivet 51. A second slot 52 is located forwardly of slot 50 and is of a shape and size permitting both lengthwise and lateral movement of control lever 44 about rivet 51 as a pivot for the different adjusted positions of the suction nozzle. A second shouldered rivet 53' having an enlarged head is secured to the bottom of the fan chamber and cooperates with rivet 51 in holding the control lever in place on the cleaner body. The rearward ends of both slots 50 and 52' open rearwardly through the side of the lever thereby permitting the lever to be assembled or disassembled without the use of tools. A tension spring 54 has its rear end secured to the grooved lower end of rivet 51'- while its forward end is supported by a tab 55 struck downwardly from lever 44. As a consequence, this spring biases the lever to the full line position illustrated in Figure 2.

As made clear by'Figures l and 2, the forward notched end 45 of the control lever overlies leg 55 of the carrier wheel. axle. The upper surface of leg 55 is provided with a pair of surfaces 56 and 57 at different elevations interconnected by a cam surface 58 and cooperate with control lever 45 in limiting clockwise movement of the carrier wheels about bearings 21, 21. During on-thefloor operation of the cleaner, end 45 of range shifter lever 44 rests against surface 56. However, during offthe-floor operation, end 45 of the control lever is positioned on surface 57 of the wheel axle as illustrated in Figure 4 wherein it holds the suction. nozzle in a raised position entirely out of contact with the carpet.

A. light tension spring 59 has one end connected to axle 17 and the other end to the under side of the cleaner body. This spring urges the carrier wheelsto rotate in: a clockwise direction and consequently serves to hold leg 55 of the axle normally seated against end 45 of the control lever at all times and particularly whenv the cleaner is picked up for transportation from room to room.

in order to convert the cleaner to off-the-fioor cleaning, it is necessary to employ a converter tool such as that illustrated at 69. The rear end of this tool is provided with a coupling 61 to receive one. end of the usual flexible hose. This tool may be formed of sheet metal audits entire forward end is rectangular in cross. section and of a size to be received snugly by the similarly shaped open rear end of suction passageway 20. The foremost upper end of the converter tool is provided with an opening which registers with fan eye 28 when the converter is in place. The bottom wall of the converter is provided with an end slot 62' to receive the pulley shaft in accordance with standard practice. It will of course be understood that this slot may be closed when in place by spring pressed valves or byresilient slot closure tabs in the manner well known in the art which serves to seal the suction nozzle from the fan chamber when the converter is in place. As is made clear by Figure 4, the forward end of the converter tool is located entirely above the agitator driving belt 63 and connects the converter tool and the attached flexible hose directly to the fan inlet. A spring pressed latch member 64 carried by the underside of the converter tool engages the down turned tab 65 on cover plate '33 and serves to releasably lockv the converter in position.

Referring to Figures 2 and 5, it will be noted. that control lever 44 is provided with a lateral extension 66. at a point opposite the entrance to the slot 50 and projects through a slot 67 in the adjacent side wall 29 of the suction passageway. The adjacent side Wall of converter tool 6% is provided with a shoulder 68 which engages extension 66 during the insertion of the converter tool and carries control lever 44 bodily forward the slight amount required to shift cammed end 45 forwardly along leg 55 of the carrier wheel axle. Thus, end 45 of the control lever is shifted from surface 56 on the axle to surface 57 causing the carrier wheels and the supporting axle to rotate counterclockwise. and elevate the suction nozzle to a raised position entirely out of contact with the underlying carpet. Uponremoval of the converter tool, spring 54 retracts the control lever rearwardly and returns it to the previous adjusted position thereof on surfacev 56 of the wheel axle. The rearmost end 69 of control lever 44 projects from the rear of the cleaner body in a convenient position for manual operation.

Operation The operation of the nozzle shifting mechanism. is as follows: Normally, the position of parts will be as illustrated in Figures 1' and 2 wherein the. cleaner is adjusted for on-the-fioor operation on carpets of average thickness wherein leg 55 of the carrier wheel axle is seated in notch 46 of the control lever. if it is desired to. clean. a thick carpet the operator merely shifts the rear end, 69 of the control lever toward the filter bag. This. results in the control lever being pivoted about rivet 51 to. the dotted line position shown in Figure 2. This slight pivotal movement of the level causes end 45 to shift crosswise of leg 55 of the axle along cam. 48 into notch 47. As the lever moves crosswise of surface 56 on the wheel axle the axle is rotated counterclockwise a slight amount to raise the nozzle to the proper operating position for thick carpets. This position is com.- monly called the high nozzle position as distinguished from the raised nozzle position which is the one occupied when the converter is in place for olf-the-floor cleaning.

Regardless of whether the nozzle is adjusted to carpets V of normal thickness or to extra thick carpets, the cleaner. may be quickly converted to off-the-floor cleaning with the nozzle and agitator elevated to a high position completely out of contact with the carpet- To accomplish this the operator merely inserts the forward end of the converter tool into the open rear end of suction passageway 20. As the converter is moved forwardly in the passageway, it engages valve 37 and" pivots it clockwise as illustrated in Figure 4. Soon thereafter, shoulder 68 on the side of the converter engages the inner end of extension 66 of the control lever and shifts end 45 thereof along cam 58 onto surface 57ofthe carrier wheel axle. This causes the carrier wheels to pivot downwardly as the nozzle is elevated to its raised position, whereupon converter latch 64 engages tab- 65 and locks the converter in place. It will be noted that forward notch 52 in the control lever is so designed as to permit conversion of the cleaner to off-mediocrcleaning regardless of whether the control lever was previously adjusted for average carpets. or. for. extra thick. carpets. It will also be apparent that the cleaner can be converted merely by the insertion of the converter into its receiving passage and without the necessityof; the operator performing any other preliminary operation. However, many users find it convenient to grasp the propelling handle and tilt the cleaner forwardly about the front nozzle lip with one hand as the converter tool is inserted with the other hand. This raises the end of the receiving passageway exposing it to view and also removes the load from the front wheels making it still easier to shift the control lever forwardly.

To reconvert the cleaner, the operator merely depresses latch 64 and withdraws the converter tool. As she does so, spring 38 closes valve 37 while spring 54 shifts the control lever rearwardly and returns the forward end thereof onto its normal seat 56 in either notch 46 or 47 depending upon the notch last occupied thereby restoring the suction nozzle to the identical adjusted position thereof before conversion.

From the foregoing it will be obvious that the present invention provides a very simple and inexpensive nozzle control which is extremely rugged, positive in operation, and which makes use of a common unitary lever for shifting the operating range of the nozzle for on-thefloor cleaning as well as an automatic means for raising the nozzle entirely above the carpet during otf-the-floor operation. To convert or reconvert the cleaner, it is unnecessary for the operator to perform any preliminary operation other than to insert or withdraw the converter tool. Manifestly, the principles of the invention may be carried out by various otherarrangements of parts other than that described above. For example, the converter can be inserted from the side or, in fact, from any other of the many positions common in the prior art. It is also obvious that the unitary control lever 44 may take various forms other than that disclosed without departure from the scope of this invention. In this connection it should be noted that notch 52 and rivet 53 may be omitted since these elements perform no necessary or essential function. It is therefore to be understood that I do not wish to be limited to the particular structure shown and described but to include all equivalent variations thereof except as limited by the scope of the claims.

I claim:

1. A suction cleaner comprising a body, a suction nozzle, a rotary agitator in said nozzle, a driving motor having a shaft, a suction fan on said shaft, a belt extending between said shaft and said agitator to drive the same, a suction passage extending between said nozzle and said suction fan, pairs of front and rear wheels supporting said body, means adjustably connecting one pair of said wheels to said body for supporting said nozzle in a plurality of carpet cleaning positions and a raised position in which said agitator is supported out of contact with a carpet, means providing a converter receiving passage communicating with said suction passage, means for adjusting said adjustable pair of wheels comprising a unitary member movably supported on said cleaner, said member including a handle for manually shifting said member selectively to different positions to adjust said movable wheels and said nozzle between said carpet cleaning positions, and said unitary member also including means thereon extending into the path of a converter tool as the same is inserted into said receiving passage so as to be engaged by the converter tool and moved to adjust said wheels to support said agitator in said raised position out of contact with the carpet so long as said converter is in place on said cleaner.

2. A suction cleaner of the floor type comprising a body provided with a motor driven suction fan, a suction nozzle of said body having a rotary agitator therein, a belt interconnecting said motor and agitator, a suction passage extending between said fan and said nozzle, a converter receiving passage communicating with said suction passage, front and rear sets of wheels supporting said cleaner body, means adjustably connecting one of said wheel sets to said body, and means on said cleaner for controlling the position of said one set of wheels, said means comprising a one piece member for manually adjusting said one set of wheels through a limited range of movement, and having a portion engageable by a converter when inserted into said receiving passage for moving said one set of wheels beyond said limited range of movement to elevate and hold said agitator in a plane entirely above the carpet so long as the converter remains in place in said receiving passage.

3. A suction cleaner of the floor type comprising a body provided with a motor driven suction fan, a suction nozzle on said body having a rotary agitator therein, a belt interconnecting said motor and agitator, a suction passage extending between said nozzle and said fan, a converter receiving passage extending into said suction passage, wheels underlying and supporting said body including a pair of wheels on the outer ends of a U-shaped axle having its bight portion pivotally connected to said body, an adjustable member positioned between said axle and said body movable to different positions to vary the angular position of said axle with respect to said body and thereby adjust the vertical position of said agitator with respect to the floor, said member being manually adjustable to vary the height of said agitator through a relatively narrow range during on-thefloor operation of said cleaner, and said member being engageable by a converter tool inserted into said converter receiving passage and movable thereby to pivot said U-shaped axle and elevate said agitator through a relatively wide range for off-the-floor operation of said cleaner.

4. A suction cleaner as defined in claim 4 including spring means connected between said body and said adjustable member for returning the latter to the same adjusted position which it occupied prior to conversion of the cleaner to off-the-floor operation as said converter is withdrawn from said converter receiving passage.

5. A suction cleaner as defined in claim 4 wherein said adjustable member includes as integral parts thereof, a handle extending to the exterior of said body for convenient manual operation and an extension concealed by said body and extending into said converter receiving passage and the path of a converter inserted thereinto.

6. A suction cleaner as defined in claim 4 wherein said converter receiving passage constitutes an extension of said suction passage underlying said suction fan and wherein said adjustable member is positioned laterally to one side of said passage.

7. A suction cleaner of the floor type comprising a body having a suction nozzle across the forward end thereof, a horizontally disposed fan chamber rearward of said nozzle having a downwardly opening inlet and a rearwardly extending exhaust outlet, a rotary agitator in said nozzle, a motor overlying said fan chamber having a shaft extending through said inlet, a fan on said shaft, a belt between .said shaft and said agitator to drive the latter, means forming an air flow passage extending longitudinally of said cleaner and opening into said fan inlet, means normally preventing air flow through said passage rearward of said fan inlet, the rearward portion of said air passage forming a converter receiving passage through which a converter tool can be inserted for registration with said fan inlet for oif-the-floor cleaning, pairs of front and rear wheels supporting said body including an axle for one of said pairs which is vertically adjustable with respect to said body, and a control member for adjusting the position of said axle and the operating height of said agitator, said member including a handle portion for selectively shifting said axle: between a plurality of settings in each of which said agitator is operative to contact a carpet for on-the-floor cleaning, said member having another portion extending into said air flow passage and into the path of a converter tool inserted thereinto for shifting said wheel axle to elevate and hold said agitator entirely above a carpet during otf-the-floor operation of said cleaner.

8. A suction cleaner as defined in. claim 7 wherein said control: member is movably mounted on the underside of said cleaner body, a plurality of notches at different elevations. on one end of said member and overlying said wheel axle. for adjusting the position thereof with respect to said. body, said member having a handle extending beyond the exterior of said body for moving the member to bring a different one of said notches into supporting position between said body and axle, said member having another portion extending through the side of said air flow passage for engagement with a converter tool and operable thereby to lower said one pair of wheels and elevate said agitator entirely above a carpet-so long as said cleaner is converted to olf-the-fioor cleaning.

9. A suction cleaner as defined in claim 7 wherein said axle supports said front pair of wheels and is provided with an olfset portion pivotally connected to said body whereby pivotal movement of said axle serves to adjust the vertical position of said nozzle with respect to the floor, and means for movably supporting said control member for movement in a horizontal plane transversely of said offset portion of the axle to adjust said axle and nozzle through a limited range for on-the-floor cleaning.

10. A suction cleaner of the floor type comprising, a

body having a suction nozzle, a suction fan rearward of said nozzle and communicating, therewith through a suction passage, a converter receiving passage leading into said suction passage, means adjustably supporting a pair of wheels on the underside of said body, means adjusting said wheels with respect to said body including av lever pivoted to said body through an elongated opening in the lever and having a plurality of notches at different elevations operatively associated. with said wheels for holding said nozzle at difierent elevations above a 'floor, said lever having an extension thereon for shifting said lever about said pivot to adjust said wheels and a second extension projecting into said converter passage for engagement with a converter tool whereby the insertion of a converter tool thereinto shifts said lever lengthwise of said elongated opening to depress said wheels and elevate said. nozzle to a, position entirely above a carpet; so long as the converter tool is, in place in, said passage.

11. A suction. cleaner as defined in claim 10 including a spring connected tosaid lever for returning the same to its previously adjusted position. as the converter tool is withdrawn from said converter receiving passage.

12. Incombinationwith a suction cleaner of the floor type having front and rear sets of supporting wheels, one or said sets of wheels being vertically adjustable, of means for, controlling the position of said, adjustable set of wheels comprising a unitary member pivoted to said cleaner through an. elongated slot in said member, said member having notches at different elevations arranged to support said adjustable Wheels at different elevations when. rotated about said pivot, said member also being movable with respect to said pivot lengthwise of said slot to arrange said notches to support said adjustable wheels through a wider range than when said. member is rotated about said pivot.

13. The combination defined in claim 12 wherein said slot opens through the side of said member so thatsaid member can be assembledand disassembled with respect to said pivot without the use of tools.

14. The combination defined in claim 13 including spring means connected between said cleaner and said member-for holding, said member assembled on said cleaner with theclosed end of said slot in engagement with said pivot.

References Cited, in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,143,018 Kitto Jan. 10, 1939 2,188,379 Taylor Jan. 30, 1940 2,330,665 Berg Sept. 28, 1943 2,333,494 Snyder Nov. 2, 1943 2,537,166 Snyder Jan. 9, 1951 7 

